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8.t.1 ALEXIAD 8

8.1.1 The emperor, having learned that the leaders of the Scythians had selected a certain detachment and sent it out against Choirobakchoi and that their arrival was expected, —such was he, energetic in his undertakings and always showing himself prepared even in sudden crises— not yet having rested himself for a seventh day in the palace, nor having had a bath, nor having shaken off the dust from the war, immediately took those assigned to the guard of the city and as many as were newly recruited, about five hundred in number, and having armed them, he went out through the whole night, around dawn. At that time he made his departure against the Scythians clear to his kinsmen who were related to him by blood and by marriage, and to the others, as many as were of higher rank and enrolled in the military corps (for it was the Friday of Meatfare), exhorting them with these words through messengers: «I for my part am going away, having learned of the Scythians' swift movement against Choirobakchoi, but you must march out to us during the week of Cheesefare. For I grant you the days between the Friday of Meatfare and the Monday of Cheesefare for some small rest, so that I might not seem burdensome and inconsiderate.» 8.1.2 He, then, immediately rode straight for Choirobakchoi and, entering, closed the gates; and he himself took charge of the keys. Then he positioned all the loyal servants around the battlements of the wall, having ordered them not to be negligent, but to watchfully survey the walls lest anyone, climbing up and leaning over, should converse with the Scythians. 8.1.3 At sunrise, the expected Scythians arrived and took up positions on the ridge adjoining the wall of Choirobakchoi. From these, about six thousand were then separated and scattered for plunder, having reached as far as Dekaton itself, which is about ten stades away from the walls of the queen of cities; from which, I think, it also acquired its name. The rest remained right there. But the emperor, going up through the wall to the battlements, was scanning the plains and the hills, to see if any other force was following them, or if, having set ambushes somewhere, they were planning to seize anyone who might perhaps attempt to attack them. And when he saw nothing of the sort, around the second hour of the day he saw them not prepared for battle, but turned to food and rest. But seeing their great number and not daring a hand-to-hand battle with them, he considered it a terrible thing if, after plundering the entire country, they should approach the very walls of the reigning city, and this when he himself had come out from there in order to scare them away from the country. 8.1.4 Therefore, summoning at that time the soldiers under him and wishing to test their opinion, he said: «One must not be cowardly when looking at the multitude of the Scythians, but having placed our hope in God, we must join battle with them, and if only we can agree, I am confident that we shall defeat them utterly.» But when they completely refused and demurred at his words, he, instilling greater fear in his men and rousing them to danger, said: «If those who have gone out to plunder should return again and unite with those present, the danger is manifest. For either the fortress will be seized by them and we

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8.t.1 ΑΛΕΞΙΑΣ Ηʹ

8.1.1 Μεμαθηκὼς ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ ὡς ἀπόμοιράν τινα οἱ τῶν Σκυθῶν ἡγεμόνες

ἀπολεξάμενοι κατὰ τῶν Χοιρο βάκχων ἐξέπεμψαν καὶ προσδόκιμος ἡ τούτων ἄφιξις ἦν, ὁποῖος ἐκεῖνος θερμουργὸς περὶ τὰς ἐγχειρήσεις κἀν τοῖς αἰφνιδίοις ἀεὶ ὡς προπαρεσκευασμένος δεικνύμενος, μήπω ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν ἑαυτὸν ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις διαναπαυσά μενος μηδὲ βαλανείου τυχὼν μηδὲ τὸν ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου κονιορ τὸν ἀποτιναξάμενος παραχρῆμα τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς φρουρᾶς τῆς πόλεως τεταγμένους καὶ ὁπόσοι νεόλεκτοι ἀναλαμβάνεται ὡσεὶ πεντακοσίους τὸν ἀριθμὸν καὶ ὁπλίσας δι' ὅλης νυκτὸς κατὰ τὸ περίορθρον ἔξεισι. Τηνικαῦτα δὲ δήλην καθίστησι τὴν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς Σκύθας ἐξέλευσιν τοῖς τε ἐξ αἵματος καὶ ἀγχιστείας προσήκουσιν αὐτῷ συγγενέσι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁπόσοι τῆς μείζονος τύχης ἦσαν καὶ τῷ στρα τιωτικῷ συντάγματι συγκατειλεγμένοι (παρασκευὴ δὲ ἦν ἡ τῆς ἀπόκρεω) ταυτὶ διὰ τῶν ἀποστολέων παρακελευσά μενος ὡς ἄρα γοῦν· «Ἐγὼ μὲν ἄπειμι τὴν τῶν Σκυθῶν κατὰ τῶν Χοιροβάκχων ὀξεῖαν μεμαθηκὼς κίνησιν, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἑβδομάδα τῆς τυροφάγου στρατεύσατε πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Τὰς γὰρ μεταξὺ τῆς τε παρασκευῆς τῆς ἀπόκρεω καὶ τῆς τυροφάγου δευτέρας ἡμέρας ὑμῖν ἐφίημι εἰς μικράν τινα ῥᾳστώνην, ὡς μὴ βαρύς τις καὶ ἀδιάκριτος δόξαιμι.» 8.1.2 Ἐκεῖνος μὲν οὖν παραχρῆμα κατευθὺ Χοιροβάκχων ἤλαυνε καὶ εἰσελθὼν κλείει τὰς πύλας· τὰς δὲ κλεῖς αὐτὸς ἀναλαμβάνεται. Εἶτα τοὺς εὔνους ἅπαντας τῶν θεραπόντων περὶ τὰ κρήδεμνα καθίστησι τοῦ τείχους παραγγείλας μὴ ἀναπεπτωκέναι, ἀλλ' ἐπαγρυπνοῦντας περιαθρεῖν τὰ τείχη μή πού τις ἀνελθὼν καὶ προκύψας ὁμιλήσειε τοῖς Σκύθαις. 8.1.3 Ἀνίσχοντος δὲ τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ οἱ ἐλπιζόμενοι τῶν Σκυθῶν καταλαβόντες κατὰ τὸν συγκε κολλημένον τῷ τείχει τῶν Χοιροβάκχων αὐχένα ἔστησαν. Ἐξ ὧν τηνικαῦτα ἀποκριθέντες ὡσεὶ ἓξ χιλιάδες εἰς προνομὴν διεσκεδάσθησαν ἐφθακότες μέχρις αὐτοῦ ∆εκά του ὡσεὶ δέκα σταδίους τῶν τειχῶν ἀπέχοντος τῆς βασι λίδος τῶν πόλεων· ἐξ οὗ οἶμαι καὶ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἐκτή σατο. Οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ αὐτοῦ που διαμεμενήκεσαν. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀνελθὼν διὰ τοῦ τείχους εἰς τὰς ἐπάλξεις περιεσκόπει τὰς πεδιάδας καὶ τοὺς βουνούς, εἴ που καὶ ἑτέρα δύναμις τούτοις ἔπεισιν ἢ εἴ που λόχους καθίσαντες. μελετῶσι τὸν τούτοις ἴσως· προσβαλεῖν ἐπιχειρήσοντα κατασχεῖν. Ὡς δ' οὐδέν τι τοιοῦτον ἐθεάσατο, περὶ δευ τέραν τῆς ἡμέρας ὥραν ὁρᾷ τούτους οὐ πρὸς μάχην ηὐτρε πισμένους, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τροφὴν καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν ἀποκλίναντας. Πλῆθος δὲ πολὺ τούτους ὁρῶν καὶ τοῦ μετ' αὐτῶν κατα συστάδην μὴ κατατολμῶν πολέμου ἐν δεινῷ ἐποιεῖτο εἰ, τὴν ἅπασαν λῃσάμενοι χώραν, καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς τείχεσι τῆς βασιλευούσης τῶν πόλεων προσπελάσαιεν, καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξεληλυθότος ἐφ' ᾧ τούτους ἀποσοβῆσαι τῆς χώρας. 8.1.4 Μετακαλεσάμενος οὖν τηνικαῦτα τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτὸν στρατιώτας καὶ τὴν γνώμην αὐτῶν δοκιμάσαι βου λόμενος ἔφη· «Οὐ χρὴ ἀποδειλιᾶν πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος τῶν Σκυθῶν ἀφορῶντας, ἀλλ' εἰς Θεὸν ἠλπικότας τὸν μετ' αὐτῶν συνάψαι πόλεμον, καὶ εἰ μόνον ὁμογνωμονήσαιμεν, πέποιθα ὡς ἡττήσομεν αὐτοὺς κατὰ κράτος.» Τῶν δὲ ἀπαναινομένων πάντη καὶ πρὸς τὸν λόγον ἀναβαλλομένων ἐκεῖνος εἰς φόβον ἐμβάλλων πλείονα τοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεγείρων εἰς κίνδυνόν φησιν· «Ἐὰν οἱ εἰς προνομὴν ἀπελ θόντες ἐπανέλθοιεν αὖθις καὶ μετὰ τῶν παρόντων ἑνωθεῖεν, προὖπτος ὁ κίνδυνος. Ἢ γὰρ καὶ τὸ κάστρον παρ' αὐτῶν κατασχεθήσεται καὶ ἡμεῖς